Steam automotive-vehicle boiler



March 27, 1928.

A. C. STALEY STEAM AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE BOILER Filed March 8. 1922- INVENTOH Gwen Tfv Patented Mar. 27, 1928.

UNITEDl sii-'rares ALLEN C. STALEY, 0F LA FAYETTE, INDIANA.

SlIlill-LIVL AUTOMOTIVE-VEHICLE BOILER.

Application filed March 8, 1922.

. This invention relates to steam boilers or generators particularly applied to steam driven vehicles where weight, accessibility, and ease of repair in combination with a self contained compact unit of high power output and small weight are necessary qualifica-tions.

y. The design described herewith possesses these characteristics to a marked degree, the particular features being brought out in the following. Y

In the drawings I illustrate various improved structures which embody my invention, the object of my invention appearing hereinafter. v

Figure 1 is a vertical section of the device of my invention,

Figure 2, a section through the headers shownin Figure 1, v

Figure 3, a section illustrating improved means for securing the end of a steam pipe to a header, and

Figure 4, a similar view of a modiied- K ers again the water falling by gravity and form. K

In the drawings reference character 1 represents a combustion chamber, which in this through the opening 9 in the top of the com- Y bustion chamber, thence passing over and giving up their heat to the superheater coils 6, steam tubes 11, and water heater or economizer tubes 2. The temperature Vof the gases having been reduced to the desired minimum they pass out by way. of the fiue under the top cover 8. A

The entering water is supplied to the boiler through pipe 15 under pressure by suitable pumps or other devices not shown. It iirstcomesinto Contact with the heated products of combustion in passing through the economizer coils 2, where the contra-How principle of bringing the coldest water in contact with the coldestgases is fully utilized, This ensures the maximum temperay valve, 14.

Serial No. 154:1,97'4a ture difference between the water andigases and thereby secures'tlie maximum heat absorption per unit of coil surface. y

After leaving the economizer the water enters the boiler header 3, by means of the feed water pipel in such a manner as to go to thebottom ofthe header first. VThis ensures that' any scale or sediment that may be in the water will tend to berdeposited at this point which is out of the direct heatof the fire. tion of a hard deposit, and the accumulation of sediment is located ina position to be readily removed by opening a blow-ofi' From here the water rises by natural circulation until itkreaches the entrance 16 to the steam loops or tubes 11 where it meets the direct blast of the fire; and consequently circulates rapidly invthese tubes owing tothe rapid formation of steam bubbles and the high rate of heat absorption. The steam and water pass out yof thetubes -11 into the headso lentering intoH circulation once more while the steamV rises to the upper part of the headers where it is drawn oft as required.

The pitch of the steam tubes is such as toI prevent anyteiidency to reverse the circulation evenV under 'extremely heavy steaming,

and the water level being maintained automatically below the steam tube outlets into the main headers, thereis no retardation of the circulation which is designed to attain exceedingly high velocities. This causes a scrubbing acti-on. on the 4tubes preventing scale formation and ensuring high rates of heat transmission per unit'of tube surface.

This principle of soV called, accelerated circulation, has been very successful in 9 maiine installations in general and torpedo boats and rdestroyers in particular where high lsteaming capacities are demanded from i'elativelysmall units.

In. the Alarge area` of the steam headers above'tlie 'water'.levehthe. velocities are reduced vtoa low figure permitting the entrained water tofall back into thepwater Zone to be recirculated through the steam tubes, while the'ste'am is passing slowly upward frees itself from the eii'trained.mois-v This provides against the formato make a roadside repair job and get home on your own power. This is made possible by the method of attaching the steam tubes to the headers, the construction used being shown in Figures 3 and 4. It is noted that each tube 11 makes a. tight joint with the header 3 to which it is connected, each end of the tube being welded or brazed to a nipple 18 of special shape which may be a forg-y ing that carries a tapered or beveled shoulder 19 resting against a seat 20 on the header An extension of this nipple passes through the opposite wall of the header and is threaded at 21 so that shoulder 19 can be drawn up into fluid tight relation with the seat 2O by means of the special nut which bears against a. beveled washer 22 adapted to be forced against a seat at 23 by tightening the nut. This forging is hollow for the passage of water and steam. In a modified (and preferred) form' of the invention, as shown in Fig. 4, the forging 24 is provided with an internal seat formed in the screw plug 25. A valve 26 has a stem 27 protruding through the nut 28, and by means of such valve the flow of water may be cut o in any tube as desired.

By this arrangement in case of failure the faulty tube is quickly and easily cut off from the system and the plant operated as usual until such time as it may be convenient to make a renewal of the Vdefective part.

It is also desired to call particular attention to the header Construction and point out the differences and advantages over the usual methods employed. It is common practice in lmany constructions to weld the steam tubes tothe vertical headers and have the headers interconnected by a number of pipes and joints. This lis a costly and clumsy construction, hard to insulate, and diflicult to align in assembling. These Connections are sources of possible leakage owing to `the strains set up by the distortion of the boiler due to road shocks and irregularities as well as by temperature strains. Furthermore it is necessary that there be a perfectly free circulation of water and steam between each header or section, in default of which differences in pressure will prevent maintaining the samejwater level in each section and burned tubes will result owing to insufficient water. For these reasons the unit header construction was chosen see Fig. 2 in which -together in one unit.

all connections are made within the headers themeslves and these are of ample area ensuring free flow of water` and steam to each section ensuring an absolutely uniform water level through the boiler at all times.

In View of the fact that this boiler is designed to operate at high pressures4 such as 600 lbs. per sq. in. and upwards the usual header construction of stayed ysurfaces would be unsatisfactory from both a cost and weight viewpoint. It is to be noted, therefore, that the following construction is used.`

GOv

All the headers are composed of a number of rectangular vertical seamless steel tubesv open at top and bottom and of uniform length. The adjacent side walls are then cut away at the ends in such a manner that when placedl side by side, the-openings 29 so In a steam generator of the water level i I type, a. fire-box, a series of tubularv headers at each side of the fire box, each series of headers being interconnected and contacting to forni a water wall, Vsteam pipes above the fire-box each detachably secured at its ends and a passage leading from the -upper ends of the headers to the superheater, substantially as set forth.

In testimony where-of l have hereunto set my hand. i

Y ALLEN o. klsfrannv. 

